Intel Core i7-14700K vs Core i9-12900KF vs Core i9-13900K Processor Comparison

Intel have just launched their latest 14th Gen Core processors (17th Oct, 2023). And thanks to our sponsors, we managed to get hold of the Core i7-14700K. We’ll be comparing this so-called “Next-Gen” processor from Intel – the Core i7-14700K vs Core i9-12900KF vs Core i9-13900K.

We did a similar comparison with the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X last year, so it will be interesting to see how well the Core i7-14700K can complete against both its predecessor the 12th and 13th Gen, as well as the AMD Ryzen 7000 series.

I must emphasize, that Intel’s 14th Gen Core processors (Raptor Lake-S) in my opinion isn’t really “Next-Gen” but rather a “Refresh” of their previous 13th Gen Raptor Lake processors.

It can now support faster memory speeds of up to DDR5-8266 MHz. Intel also claims the Core i7-14700K is 17% faster than its predecessor, with the higher-end Core i9-14900K being able to push past the 6GHz barrier.

The Core i7-14700K is a really interesting processor due to its price and the performance that it offers. The Core i7 series is what a lot of users, gamers and enthusiasts would choose, because it generally offers the best bang for the buck.

Armed with 8 Performance-cores, 12 Efficient-cores and a total of 28 threads with 33MB of L3 cache, it’s definitely more than enough for even the most hardcore of users.

We will provide a 3-way comparison between the Core i7-14700K vs Core i9-12900KF vs Core i9-13900. Let’s begin with a quick comparison table …

Quick Comparison

	Core i9-12900KF	Core i9-13900K	Core i7-14700K
Generation (Code Name)	12th Gen (Alder Lake)	13th Gen (Raptor Lake)	14th Gen (Raptor Lake-S)
Cores	16 (8 Performance-cores/8 Efficient-cores)	24 (8 Performance-cores/16 Efficient-cores)	20 (8 Performance-cores/12 Efficient-cores)
Threads	24	32	28
Default Base clock rate	3.2 GHz	4.30 GHz	3.4 GHz
Max Turbo Boost	5.2 GHz	5.80 GHz	5.4 GHz
Fabrication Process	10nm	10nm	10 nm
Cache L2/L3	30 MB	36 MB	33 MB
Integrated Video	N/A	Intel® UHD Graphics 770	Intel® UHD Graphics 770
TDP	125W Turbo: 241W	125W Turbo: 253W	125W Turbo: 253W
Socket Type	LGA1700	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe/DDR support	PCIe 5.0 / DDR4 / DDR5	PCIe 5.0 / DDR5	PCIe 5.0 / DDR5
Current Price from Amazon (Oct 2023)	USD $371	USD $536	USD $419

Network Diagram

Test Rig

We prepared 3 test rigs with the configuration as per below.

Installation and BIOS

All BIOS settings were at default, with XMP profiles enabled. Graphics resolution set to 1920×1080 (HD 1080p) or default where eber possible. High or Ultra settings enabled.

CPU-Z Info

Load Temps

Benchmarks (Part 1)

I’ll let the numbers do all the talking … 1st column is Core i9-12900KF, 2nd column is Core i9-13900K, while the 3rd column is the Core i7-14700K

PCMark 10

PCMark 10 is the latest in our series of industry standard PC benchmarks. Updated for Windows 10 with new and improved workloads, PCMark 10 is also faster and easier to use. PCMark 10 features a comprehensive set of tests that cover the wide variety of tasks performed in the modern workplace. With express, extended, and custom run options to suit your needs, PCMark 10 is the complete PC benchmark for the modern office and an ideal choice for organizations that buy PCs in high volumes.

PassMark 9

Fast, easy to use, PC speed testing and benchmarking. PassMark PerformanceTest allows you to objectively benchmark a PC using a variety of different speed tests and compare the results to other computers.

3DMark Speed Way

3DMark Speed Way is a graphics card benchmark for testing DirectX 12 Ultimate performance. To run this test, you must have a graphics card that supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and has 6GB or more of video memory.

3DMark – Port Royal

Port Royal is a graphics card benchmark for testing real-time ray tracing performance. To run this test, you must have a graphics card and drivers that support Microsoft DirectX Raytracing.

3DMark Time Spy

3DMark Time Spy is a new DirectX 12 benchmark test for Windows 10 gaming PCs. Time Spy is one of the first DirectX 12 apps to be built “the right way” from the ground up to fully realize the performance gains that the new API offers. With its pure DirectX 12 engine, which supports new API features like asynchronous compute, explicit multi-adapter, and multi-threading, Time Spy is the ideal test for benchmarking the latest graphics cards.

3DMark Firestrike (DX11)

Fire Strike is a showcase DirectX 11 benchmark designed for today’s high-performance gaming PCs. It is our most ambitious and technical benchmark ever, featuring real-time graphics rendered with detail and complexity far beyond what is found in other benchmarks and games today.

UL Procyon Photo Editing Benchmark

The UL Procyon Photo Editing Benchmark uses Adobe® Lightroom® Classic and Adobe® Photoshop® in a typical photo editing workflow that includes batch processing and image retouching. Using relevant apps ensures that the benchmark score reflects the real-world performance of the whole system.

UL Procyon Video Editing Benchmark

The UL Procyon Video Editing Benchmark uses Adobe Premiere Pro in a typical video editing workflow. Using relevant apps ensures that the benchmark score reflects the real-world performance of the whole system.

The benchmark starts by importing two video project files. The project timelines include various edits, adjustments and effects. The second project uses several GPU-accelerated effects.

Each video project is exported in Full HD encoded with H.264 and again in 4K UHD encoded with HEVC (H.265). The benchmark score is based on the time taken to export all four videos.

AIDA64 Memory Test

This benchmark measures the bandwidth and latency of the CPU caches and the system memory. By double-clicking any rectangle, column or row in the window, we can launch benchmarks or benchmark types individually. For example, if we double-click “Memory”, only system memory read, write, copy and latency benchmarks will be run, that is, only the operations in the given row are executed. Similarly, if we double-click “Read”, only read benchmarks will be run on all memory types, that is, only the operations in the given column are executed. If we double-click any rectangle, only the selected single benchmark will be run.

HyperPi 1M

A simple-to-configure and portable software program that helps you calculate the pi value for a given number of digits and perform overclocking operations on multi-core machines.

GeekBench 6 CPU 

Geekbench 6 measures your processor’s single-core and multi-core power, for everything from checking your email to taking a picture to playing music, or all of it at once. Geekbench 6’s CPU benchmark measures performance in new application areas including Augmented Reality and Machine Learning, so you’ll know how close your system is to the cutting-edge. 

Cinebench R23 Benchmark

CINEBENCH is a real-world cross platform test suite that evaluates your computer’s performance capabilities. CINEBENCH is based on MAXON’s award-winning animation software Cinema 4D, which is used extensively by studios and production houses worldwide for 3D content creation. MAXON software has been used in blockbuster movies such as Iron Man 3, Oblivion, Life of Pi or Prometheus and many more. CINEBENCH is the perfect tool to compare CPU and graphics performance across various systems and platforms (Windows and OS X).

Verdict and Conclusion

The Intel Core i7-14700K … WINS! And that’s normally how you would say it in Mortal Kombat 😀

Although Intel’s latest 14th Gen processor in all essence, is a “refresh” of the Raptor Lake, it does offer a slight boost in performance thanks to the ability to support higher memory speeds, plus it has a higher core count as well having more threads.

Looking at the benchmarks, the Core i7-14700K suprisingly beats its predecessor the 12th Gen, and in some cases even the 13th Gen. But wait, did I mention that we used the Core i9 series for 12th and 13th Gen during our tests?!

In Cinebench R23, there’s a 7-13% improvement on both single core and multi-core performance over the older 12th Gen Core i9-12900KF, and easily surpasses the Ryzen 9 7900X.

With that said, if you want the latest 14th Gen processor from Intel that offers better performance over its predecessor, then the Core i7-14700K truly offers the best bang for your buck! But I would love to see what the flagship Core i9-14900K can really do!

And one other good news is that, because Intel’s 14th Gen processor uses the same LGA 1700 platform (socket) as it predecessor, it should work on most existing Z790 motherboards with the latest BIOS update.

Like all 12th and 13th Gen processors, the Core i7-14700K does not have AVX-512 instructions. According to Intel, this wasn’t enabled due to the inclusion of two different architectures (E-cores + P-cores). However, I heard that some motherboard manufacturers allow users to enable AVX-512 after disabling the E cores in the BIOS. Interesting.

In the end, no matter which processor you go for, I think all 3 offer great performance, if you own a Z790 motherboard. Just choose one based on your budget and needs. Here’s my quick breakdown below.

Final Thoughts

Related articles

• Gigabyte Z790 AORUS PRO X Motherboard Review
• AMD Ryzen 9 7900X vs Intel Core i9-12900KF vs Intel Core i9-13900K Comparison
• Intel Core i9-10900K vs 11900K vs 12900KF Processor Comparison
• How to Install Intel LGA1700 Mounting Kit from Cooler Master